Fantasy Football: Devy Risers And Fallers Week 5 2021 College Football
Welcome to the twilight zone. It's week 5, going into week 6 of the college football season. Just as everyone predicted before the season, Clemson is now officially unranked. Iowa is ranked higher than Ohio State, and post-Zach Wilson era BYU sits at ten. The transcendent talents at Wake Forest have them 19th in the rankings, just ahead of Texas and Florida. In the immortal words of Kronk, " It's all coming together." While the satire and jest are just for fun, it's seriously exhilarating to see some parody blanket a college football landscape that has been fairly consistent in recent years. Along with the unexpected, Devy managers must remain flexible and adjust their expectations accordingly.
Bijan Robinson, Texas, RB: UP
This is cheating a little bit. For the people that already have Bijan Robinson ranked #1, he can't go any higher. Those people have eyes. They've seen Robinson play and realized that he's the best running back prospect since Saquon Barkley or Ezekiel Elliot. Instead, this blurb is for the people still clamoring for a quarterback to be ranked number one in Devy. Stop it, get help.
Sure, most leagues utilize a Superflex format where elite quarterback play is a major differentiator, but determining which quarterback will be a stud NFL and fantasy producer is a daunting challenge. Remember 2020, where Tua Tagovailoa and Joe Burrow were the top quarterbacks drafted, with Justin Herbert being the third-best prospect? The consensus rankings nailed that one, didn't they? Try trading Tagovailoa for Jonathan Taylor or DeAndre Swift, running backs also drafted in that class; it'll allow their manager to have a good laugh, but that's about it. Devy hit rates for running backs are significantly higher than quarterbacks, as their transition from college to the NFL is easier to predict.
On top of the hit rates, look at Bijan Robinson's competition for the number one spot in the Devy rankings. The main competitors include three volatile quarterbacks from the 2022 quarterback class (Matt Corral, Spencer Rattler, Sam Howell) and one seemingly solid quarterback from 2023 (Bryce Young). Corral wasn't even the guaranteed starter coming into 2020 and has had maturity issues in the past. Rattler's play has been chaotic at best, with Oklahoma fans even chanting to have backup Caleb Williams take over back in week 4. Howell has been the most consistent of the three but has limited upside. Recent performances without some of the main UNC playmakers from previous years show that he needs the proper situation to produce at a high level. Bryce Young looks amazing as the leading quarterback for 2023, but playing for a dominant Alabama team always yields questions regarding the quarterback's ability to produce in a more hostile environment. Robinson, on the other hand, doesn't have any concerns as a prospect. He needs to be the clear-cut, consensus number one Devy prospect going forward.
Jase McClellan, Alabama, RB: DOWN
Another one bites the dust. Sophomore running back Jase McClellan suffered a significant knee injury in this week's game against Ole Miss and will miss the remainder of the season. McClellan is one of the top running back prospects from the 2023 class, and he has been a crucial part of the Alabama rotation until now. With senior Brian Robinson Jr. leaving after this season, most expected McClellan to lead the Alabama backfield in 2022. This injury brings that assumption into question and allows the mainstream media to spotlight other viable running backs on the team. While it's an unfortunate turn of events for McClellan, it does provide an opportunity for savvy Devy managers to trade for an extremely talented player at a discount. McClellan may be falling down the rankings based on value, but he should instantly become a trade target for patient Devy managers.
Jordan Addison, Pittsburgh, WR: UP
Sophomore receiver Jordan Addison has continued building on the solid production he displayed as a true freshman in 2020. This season, he ranks seventh in receiving yards across the college landscape with 524 yards and is tied for first in touchdown receptions, with nine. While Addison doesn't currently have the size that many analytically-minded individuals would prefer (6'0", 175lbs.), he more than makes up for it with his play. He shows decent burst off the line, has monster YAC ability and has the top-end speed to win deep. Some college receiver prospects may have more potential, but Addison continues to show out every week. That consistency is often undervalued and can often produce solid fantasy assets like Tyler Boyd, Jarvis Landry, or Diontae Johnson. If Addison can maintain this type of production, he'll nab at least day two draft capital in the 2023 NFL draft. As a result, he's rising in the Devy rankings.
Jeriron Ealy, Ole Miss, RB: DOWN
Highlight watchers love Jerrion Ealy because he's electric. He's a speed merchant whose agility can leave the occasional, slow defender looking like a complete buffoon. That's a wonderful trait, but what happens when he goes to the NFL and almost every defender has elite speed? Ealy, who is currently listed at 5'9", 185 lbs, will likely find success more difficult to come by. Additionally, examples of consistently successful, sub-200 lbs. running backs are almost always role players or pass-catching backs, rather than bell-cow backs. Unfortunately, Ealy hasn't been asked to catch many passes in his career and instead continues to find himself splitting carries with Snoop Conner. This past week against Alabama, Ealy could only manage a dismal 16 yards on nine carries. With this lackluster production and diminutive size, Ealy will continue to fall down the rankings. Ealy is also a solid baseball prospect who may opt to go that route rather than football as a final nail in the coffin.
Additional Risers:
Tyler Allgeier - BYU - Running Back
Brian Robinson Jr. - Alabama - Running Back
Grayson McCall - Coastal Carolina - Quarterback
Tanner McKee - Stanford - Quarterback
Deuce Vaughn - Kansas State - Running Back
Additional Fallers:
Taulia Tagovailoa - Maryland - Quarterback
Kyren Williams - Notre Dame - Running Back
C.J. Verdell - Oregon - Running Back (Injury)
Dontay Demus Jr. - Maryland - Wide Receiver (Injury)
Marshawn Lloyd - South Carolina - Running Back
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